1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a rekeyable lock cylinder assembly, and more particularly, the invention relates to a rekeyable lock cylinder assembly for use with a mortise lock.
2. Description of the Related Art
When rekeying a cylinder using a traditional cylinder design, the user is required to remove the cylinder plug from the cylinder body and replace the appropriate pins so that a new key can be used to unlock the cylinder. This typically requires the user to remove the cylinder mechanism from the lockset and then disassemble the cylinder to some degree to remove the plug and replace the pins. This requires a working knowledge of the lockset and cylinder mechanism and is usually only performed by locksmiths or trained professionals. Additionally, the process usually employs special tools and requires the user to have access to pinning kits to interchange pins and replace components that can get lost or damaged in the rekeying process. Finally, professionals using appropriate tools can easily pick traditional cylinders.
In addition, in one form of a master keying system, such as a pin and tumbler design, master shims are positioned in between the pins of the lock cylinder to establish a shear line for the master key and user keys. In such a previous design, for example, the consumer replaces the pins and adds shims to convert the lock cylinder to a master keyed cylinder. This may be a complicated process for some consumers.
A lock cylinder may be adapted for use with a mortise lock mechanism. A mortise lock mechanism typically includes a case provided with a lock cylinder opening adjacent to a bolt. A lock cylinder assembly of similar cross-section is positioned in the lock cylinder opening. The lock cylinder assembly has a bolt-actuating cam operated by a cylinder plug mounted in the lock cylinder. The actuating cam engages the bolt of the mortise lock mechanism to operate the bolt. In a configuration commonly referred to as a “profile” cylinder lock, for example, two lock cylinders with corresponding cylinder plugs may be located at opposite sides of the door, and the actuating cam may be operated by key actuation of either of the two cylinder plugs.